1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electronic component and a method of forming the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a microconnector and a method of forming the same.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-183494, filed Jul. 12, 2007, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
All patents, patent applications, patent publications, scientific articles, and the like, which will hereinafter be cited or identified in the present application, will hereby be incorporated by reference in their entirety in order to describe more fully the state of the art to which the present invention pertains.
Microconnectors have been known which can be used to connect two electronic components. Each electronic component has a plurality of terminals that may, in some cases, be aligned at a narrow pitch. The microconnectors connect terminals of one electronic component and the other terminals of another electronic component. The microconnectors can be used to connect the terminals aligned at narrow pitch to the other terminals aligned at the pitch, at ordinary temperature, without using an anisotropic conductive film or solder.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications, First Publications, Nos. 10-189168, 2006-40737, 2003-45576, 2002-246117, and 2001-332344 disclose a microconnector that has a flexible beam. The flexible beam extends in parallel to the bonding face of a substrate. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. 5-152303 discloses manufacturing a microconnector made of a conductive rubber by using a printing technique.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications, First Publications, Nos. 2006-40737, 2003-45576, 2002-246117, and 2001-332344, the microconnector extends straightly and in parallel to the bonding surface of the substrate. The microconnectors can be aligned at narrow pitch in a direction that is perpendicular to an axis of the beam. The microconnectors can not be aligned at narrow pitch in other direction that is parallel to the axis of the beam. Two electronic components can not be stacked in a direction vertical to the surface of the substrate.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. 10-189168, the microconnector has a C-curved beam that is flexible. This microconnector can be aligned at narrower pitch as compared to the other microconnectors disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications, First Publications, Nos. 2006-40737, 2003-45576, 2002-246117, and 2001-332344. The microconnectors disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. 10-189168 can allow electronic components to be stacked in the direction vertical to the surface of the substrate. Complicated manufacturing processes need to form the beams of microconnectors that extend parallel to the bonding surface of the substrate. Shrinkage of the microconnectors is not easy due to placing a magnet.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. 2001-3320144, the microconnectors are formed by printing a conductive rubber. Shrinkage of the microconnectors is not easy. The microconnectors have poor mechanical durability.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved microconnector and/or method of forming the same. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.